Wanna know how you are doing?

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here

"OMG! It's going to hell in a hand basket, it's over... it's done! I will save you the trouble and throw myself under the bus... a complete failure!" Dramatic maybe, but have you ever taken this kind of perspective with something?  Wait before you answer...

You then look to another point of view, and although somewhat similar to yours, it tends to be different; more often than not doesn't involve a bus, you are on the right track, you are better off than you thought, and there's just more work ahead of you (granted, maybe a lot more).

If ever there was a truism, it is this - People will look at "situations" differently... and with that said, never assume the way you look at the situation is correct. "Situations" in this context can be anything... a problem, an opportunity, a team's performance, an individual (you)... name it. If you want to understand, improve, harness or deal with a situation effectively, you need to see it for what it is - To do this effectively, you need different points of view to get a true picture; increase your chances for success. It is at the heart of all effective planning and execution.

And there it is, the answer to "wanting to know how you are doing?" - Get other people's point of view regarding you and your situation... the more objective and tangible the point of view, the better. Expanding on this a little, here are some thoughts:

• If you have a strong sense of worth (ego) and a strong need to be "right", you have to "check this at the door". It will impede your ability to listen, let alone understand another point of view. If you find yourself getting defensive or outright dismissive, that is a sure sign you have work to do.
• Remember the question "how you are doing" has to be relative to something... ensure what that is has been clearly defined and there is context to the question.
• Getting a point of view from someone that thinks like you isn't very helpful and is just an elaborate exercise in self-validation. You need a point of view from someone with different ways of thinking, life perspective, credibility and experience.
• You need more than just one different point of view, which allows you to develop themes and ultimately a clearer picture of the situation. This creates a valid perspective of how you are doing.
• Depending on the situation, this can be an emotional question; we are human after all. Knowing this, think of "a point of view" as a constructive, intellectual exercise that helps develop clarity and understanding. If you are being asked for your point of view, do it with respect and appreciation that it can be a "big deal".
• If you are a people leader, you should be offering your constructive point of view before the question even gets asked.
• It never hurts to get mentors and set up an informal advisory council.

Ultimately, we are trying to scratch at the reality of a situation so we can develop the appropriate understanding and a plan of action moving forward. There is no doubt that different points of view will help you understand a situation clearer. But I would suggest there is something even more important, and that is, "asking the question in the first place".

With that, "How am I doing?"

gpe 

A letter to the CEO has never been easier...

If you send a letter to a CEO, he or she will answer you... a Google search and some simple detective work you can have their email address rather quickly - Letter sent and letter received... it has never been easier. Keep in mind there are some caveats, but that is true with most things.

Why would you send a letter to a CEO? One major reason is they are great problem solvers, or have access to a whole organization of people that are. This can be very effective for solving a problem you're having with an organization, particularly if the CEO is at the helm. Other reasons could be to seek advice from a domain expert, networking or even presenting an idea that you think they may be interested in.

Why would a CEO want to hear from you? As a customer, you are critical to a company's success; they will want to hear what you have to say - If things are going "right" or if they're going "wrong"... and if things are going wrong, they will want to have it fixed to ensure good business governance - Good business governance is definitely high on the list for a CEO. As an employee or customer, they want to hear your thoughts, ideas and concerns as it is all about "engagement", something else high on a CEO's list.

Recently, I sent the following letter to solve a customer service issue I was having with a bank... I have edited it slightly and removed the bank's name as my problem has been solved and I appreciated the solution. I want to illustrate that CEOs get things done, not specifically the issue with the "Bank".

Subject: Why is dealing with your bank always so onerous?

Hello Mr CEO,

I have been an account holder with the "Bank" to one degree or another since I opened my very first account back in the early 70’s. Today’s interaction with the "Bank" continues to re-enforce how difficult it can to work with your organization and why over the years I have moved a majority of my daily banking elsewhere. I currently have a safety deposit box, a component of my daughter’'s trust, and a small line of credit with one of your branches. 

Today'’s issue arose attempting to add my daughter to my safety deposit box so she would have access to important documentation in case of emergency. As part of this process we needed to set up an account for my daughter before she could be given access to my safety deposit box; after all of the identification was shared and validated we were asked for a “bill to prove my daughter’s address”, as her current address is different than mine. We could not move forward until some sort of 3rd party correspondence was submitted. As you can appreciate this information was not readily available at the time, we were told that nothing could proceed due to “policy” and had to come back with the information.

I appreciate that need to validate against fraud and such, but I think there was a complete lack of context on your branch’'s part, and in the end did nothing but inconvenience me.

• As the father, and in fact sponsor of my daughter to get access to my safety deposit box, I do not understand why a "3rd party bill with an address "confirming her driver’'s licence address" is needed.
• I was told that if my daughter’s address had been the same as mine I could vouch for her, but since it is different I could not. I do not understand the logic and why my credibility changes?
• The trust account that is currently with you is in fact my daughter’s, so again I do not understand why such validation is needed.
• At one time my daughter had an account with the branch, but that didn'’t seem to be relevant.
• My daughter already has the second safety deposit box key, so in a practical sense all you are doing is standing in the way of using it. This is particularly inconvenient if an emergency happens in the near future, as there are papers that would need to be accessed. 
•  In the end, the position of your bank was to stand behind a policy that wasn'’t even explained clearly, and put all the burden on us to track down a 3rd party bill for my daughter who is 20 years old, in school, mobile by definition and has not established herself yet with the 3rd party confirmations your “policy” says is needed.

I should make it clear I do not see this as an issue for my daughter but for me - a long time "Bank" account holder who has had mortgages and a sizeable line of credit with you. All I wanted to do was add my daughter to my safety deposit box, but in the end has been a onerous activity, a waste of my time, and re-enforces why my primary banking isn'’t with the "Bank".

As you know, Safety Deposit Boxes are a rare commodity, so I have no intensions with “tub thumping” how I will stop dealing with the "Bank". What I will say though," I have little interest in doing business with you except when absolutely necessary". I hope you can appreciate my perspective and the intentions of this note.

Sincerely,

As a customer, I was pleased with the response and how my problem was dealt with. I hope they appreciated me bringing the situation to their attention, instead of me just quietly disappearing into the night. More importantly, my daughter was pleased with how they responded, and being a Gen Y, she represents the future they need to deal with..

I should point out that there are some caveats that come with writing the CEO and being effective... these come to mind.

• If you are a customer addressing a problem - Constructively and factually outline the situation, your concerns and the impact... there is an aspect of credibility that needs to be established. There is no value with emotional criticism, insults or unrealistic threats. It dilutes what you are trying to say.
• Before you write a CEO, ensure you have taken the time to investigate other avenues of resolution. Most companies have problem resolution mechanisms, but ultimately it is your decision when you escalate.
• Be prepared for a response, and with that, an expectation you want to work to a resolution; a cathartic tirade letter to a CEO is a waste of time, and there is a lack of credibility that falls back on the author.
• If you are an employee writing your CEO (and I encourage it), ensure you are bringing solutions to your discussions, not just problems and observations... they get enough of those from customers.

The letter is by no means dead... just evolving. It's faster, easier to deliver and has an increased chance of creating a dialogue... ideal for problem solving. Ask any CEO.

gpe

Work and Play... a case for play, the simpler the better!

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

I want to make it clear upfront I am not talking about what we like to call "work - life balance"... an ever growing misnomer if ever there was one; what is supposed to balance off the 55 hour work week can be just as challenging - Life can sometimes be very hard. What I am talking about is work and play, and how energizing play can be.

Work (verb): be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result, especially in one's job; do work

and

Play (verb): engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.

I had the opportunity to spend a weekend with some friends at a cottage on a northern Ontario lake . Some will say there is no better way to send a summer weekend - An opportunity to get away from the summer heat, enjoy the water, breathe fresh air and catch up with old friends.

Inevitably, after catching up on everyone's current state of affairs and settling onto the dock, someone says, "So what do you want to do now?" Ideas were bantered about, all very adult and expected... then someone noticed something lying up on the shore.

Inventive branding called it the "Floater Mat", but it was simply a very larger piece of foam that could float on the water, easily able to support the weight of a person or two (and as it turned out, three). Ultimately coined the "Lilly Pad Game", the rules were simple - Stay on the mat and try to knock the other person off by moving all around. All of us* played on the mat for hours... laughing, falling off, getting back on, not caring who stayed up longest, encouraging everyone to take a turn and not keeping score. No one was there to win, or compete, prove a point or turn it into a lesson; we simply were there to play and have fun - I felt cleaner for it... renewed. 

It was as if the build up that comes with every day life was wiped away, if only for a little while... I had a renewed energy, imagination and sense of possibility. And something else came with the Lilly Pad game, which I can only describe as a great sense of "self and well being". I suspect some would suggest that those over the age of fourteen should not find themselves engaging in such activities, but for me, I did not care... I did not care what people thought and enjoyed the moment that I innately knew was good for me - I was literally going to run and jump and play!

Play is seen as a competitor to work, but I will argue that it is the true balance for work and brings energy, confidence, imagination and well being. I also believe it is the simplest of play, the play that strikes the imagination of children, where the real power lies. So when you are at that next team building event and asked to colour, make something out of crafts or sing a song... GO FOR IT - you will be better for it.

Enjoy!

gpe

* Unfortunately Huey had a spill on his mountain bike and couldn't play the Lilly Pad game. Dewey, the Duke, Puddly, Sippy and Mr. Tardy were able to play and I hope they got as much out of it as I did. Their friendship is cherished and I am better for it.